Method of packaging cylindrical objects in carriers



METHOD OF PACKAGING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS IN CARRIERS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Sept. l5, 1950 GlzovEz C. Cuxalzxrr,

INVENT( )R.

BY fa/7,5" 1" ATTORNEYS G. C. 'CURRIE Jan. 24, i956 METHOD OF PACKAGING CYLINDRICAI.. OBJECTS IN CARRIERS 4 sheets-sheet 2 Original Filed Sept. 15, 1950 INVENTOR Gam/E12 C. Comma.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 24%, 1956 G. c. cURRlE 27751376 METHOD OF PACKAGING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS IN CARRIERS Original Filed Sept. l5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 if Y 4 @Rove CCUIZPJ@ 53 /55 Z INVENTOR;

ATTORNEY i324, G. C. CURRIE 297331,??6

METHOD CR PACKAGING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS 1N CARRIERS Original Filed Sept. l5, 1.950 4 Sheets-Sheei 4 v I I u A, 4. INVENTOR: JJ L C C 50 Grim/eri C Cumzmn BY i? t/Z naamw? ATT( )R NE YRS United States Patent O METHOD OF PACKAGING CYLIDRICAL OBJECTS IN CARRIERS Grover C. Currie, Charlotte, N. C., assignor to Dacam Corporation, Charlotte, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina This invention relates to an improved method of forming carriers or cartons for cylindrically-shaped containers such as beer cans and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method of forming carriers from a single piece of material so cut and scored as to permit the same to be folded into an elongated rectangular tube with a pair of outwardly projecting handle portions disposed longitudinally of the carrier and in alinement with each other. The handle portions are also scored at their juncture with the tube thus formed so as to be folded against one of the walls of the tube to permit a plurality of such carriers to be placed within a common package or box in side-by-sde or superposed relation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of forming carriers of the type described which have front, rear, top and bottom panels and in which all of the panels are cut intermediate their ends to form two carton sections in alinement with each other except the rear panel thereof which is perforated or scored intermediate its ends so as to permit the two sections to be folded along the score line back to back against each other. The carrier is also provided with handle portions extending from the rear panel sections and having openings therein whereby, upon the two sections of the carton being folded back to back against each other, the openings in said handle portions will coincide substantially with each other to thus provide a compact carrier which may be carried from one place to another by an operator grasping said handle portions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of forming carriers wherein a single sheet of material such as cardboard and the like is cut into a substantially rectangular member having rounded corner portions and an indentation in the medial top and lbottom edges thereof, then scoring said rectangular blank a plurality of times transversely thereof and scoring or perfor-ating a portion of said blank longitudinally thereof in alinement with the indentations in the top and bottom edges thereof and cutting a portion of said blank longitudinally thereof in alinement with the last-named score line to thus form a blank foldable into two carton sections. The blank is then folded along said transverse score lines into a rectangular tube and the top and bottom edges of said blank are secured together to form a handle member and the rectangular tube is folded along said longitudinally extending score lines and said lon-gi tudinally extending cut lines to form a substantially square carton having two juxtaposed carton sections.

This is a divisional application of my co-pending application Serial No. 185,072, filed September 15, 19,50, entitled Carrier, which is now Patent No. 2,656,959.

Some of the objects of 'the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings :in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the blank from which the 2,731,776 Fatjented Jan. 24, 1956 carrier is formed and showing the manner in which it is cut and scored;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the carrier partially erected and having a plurality of cylindrically-shaped articles or containers therein;

Figure 3 is an enlarged isometric view similar to Figure 2 but showing the step in erection following the placing of .the cylindrically-shaped containers therein;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, at a reduced scale, showing the handle portions of the carrier in folded position against one of the walls of the carrier;

Figure 5 is an isometric view showing a package or carton in dotted lines and showing a plurality of the carriers stacked within the package illustrating `the manner in which they may be stored or shipped from one place to another;

Figure 6 is an isometric view showing the two sections of the carrier in partially folded position;

Figure 7 is an enlarged isometric view of the complcted `carrier in fully folded position for manually carrying from one place to another and showing the top, one side and one end thereof;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing the opposite side and end ofthe carrier from that shown in Figure 7 and also looking up at `the bottom of the carrier;

Figure .9 is an enlarged sectional plan view through the carrier showing the manner in which the cylindricallyshaped containers yare housed within the carrier and being taken substantially along the line 9-9 in Figure 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 broadly designates a substantially rectangular blank of cardboard or similar pliable material from which the carrier is formed. The blank 1l) is cut and scored in such a manner as to provide a pair of substantially symmetrical car-ton sections which are also broadly designated at 11 and 12, respectively. The juncture `of these carton sections, which may bey hereinafter referred toas a first section 11 and a second section 12, is defined by a straight line of closely spaced perforations 13 which extends from the upper end of the blank 10 in Figure 1 and terminates intermediate the ends thereof at one end of a cut line 14, this line 14 also extending to a point indicated at 15 adjacent the lower end of the blank 10. lt will be noted that the upper and lower ends of the blank 10 in Figure 1 are provided with substantially V-shaped notches 16 and 17, respectively, which define the proximate edges of handle portions 20 and 21 and 22 and 23 respectively. Y

It will be noted that an imperforate score line 24 which extends from the point 15 to the notch 17 defines one end of the cut line 14 extending to the lower end of the carrier blank 10. rl`he purpose of the variations in the lines 13, 14 and 24 defining the juncture of the sections 11 and 12 Vwill be later described.

lt will be observed in Figure l that the lines 13, 14 and 24 extend longitudinally of the blank 10 and the blank 10 is also provided with transversely extending score lines, the first section 11 being vprovided with transverse score lines 25 to 29, inclusive, and the second sec tion 12 being provided with score lines 25a to 29a, inclusive, which coincide with `the respective score lines 2S to 29, inclusive, in the first section 11 and are also in alinement therewith. The score lines 25, 25a define the inner edges of the respective handle forming portions 20, 21 and the score lines 29, 29a define the inner edges of the respective handle forming portions 22, 23.

It will be noted that the corners of the blank 10 are rounded or cut away to coincide substantially with the proximate edges of the handle portions 20, 21, Z2 and 23 defined by the respective notches 16 and 17. Also, the

handle forming portions 20 and 21 are provided with v coinciding centrally located openings 33 and 34, respectively, while the handle forming portions 22 and 23 have respective cut lines 35 and 36 therein which may coincide with the respective score lines 29 and 29a, if so desired. However, these cut lines 35 and 36 need not necessarily be disposed in alinement with the score lines 29 and 29a. This is also true of the lower or inner edges of the openings 33 and 34 with respect to the respective score lines and 25a.

The cut lines 35 and 36 each extend along a portion of the sections 11 and 12, respectively, and curve downwardly at each end in Figure l and terminate at opposed ends of respective score lines and 41, thus defining respective flaps 42 and 43 which are hinged along the respective score lines 40 and 41. -v

The score lines 25 and 26 and 27 and 28 define opposed edges of respective rear and front panels 44 and 45. The score lines 25a and 26a and 27a and 28a define opposed edges of respective rear and front panels 44a and 45a. The score lines 26, 26a and 27, 27a define opposed edges of respective bottom panels 46 and 46a. The score lines 28 and 29 and 28a and 29a define opposed edges of respective top panels 47 and 47a.

Since the present carrier is particularly adapted for carrying cylindrically-shaped articles, such as cans, which are indicated at 50 in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9, the score lines 26, 27, 26a and 27a are interrupted by a plurality of substantially identical spaced cut lines 52 which define a plurality of projections S3 extending from opposed sides of the bottom panels 46 and 46a. Similar spaced cut lines 54 define a plurality of spaced projections 55 along the score lines 28 and 28a and the purpose of the projections 53 and 55 will be later described. l After thus cutting and scoring the blank, it is folded in a manner to be described and a plurality of cylindrically-shaped articles or containers 50 are placed therein. It might be stated that although three cylindricallyshaped articles 50 are shown in each of the sections 11 and 12, or a total of six articles in the assembled or erected carrier, any desired number of cylindricallyshaped articles may be carried thereby.

Figure 2 best illustrates the position and state of erection of the carrier blank in which it is preferred that the cylindrically-shaped articles or containers be placed therein.

It will be noted that the carrier is preferably placed with the front panels or walls 45 and 45a facing downwardly and the top and bottom panels 47 and 47a and 46, 46a are bent upwardly along their respective score lines 28, 28a and 27, 27a into right angular relation with the front panels 45 and 45a. At this time, the handle portions 22 and 23 are also bent outwardly along the respective score lines 29 and 29a into substantially right angular relation to the respective top panels 47 and 47a.

Thus with the carrier in the position shown in Figure 2, the containers or articles 50 may then be placed in the upper surfaces of the front panels 45, 45a and it is preferred that the length or height of the articles or containers 50 be substantially the same as that of the height of the front panels 45, 45a so opposed ends of the containers or articles 50 may rest against the top and bottom panels 47, 47a and 46, 46a, respectively, of the carrier.

The spacing of the projections 53 and 55 on the re' spective bottom and top panels 46, 46a and 47, 47a is such that the opposed ends of the cylindrically-shaped containers 50 will be disposed in alinement therewith when they are placed on the upper surfaces of the front panels 45, 45a in juxtaposed relation to each other.

ln order to insure that the cans 50 may be held within the confines of front and rear panels 45, 45a and 44, 44a, it is preferable that the diameter of each of the cans 50 should be somewhat greater than the width of the bottom and top panels 46, 46a and 47, 47a, respectively. vThis will cause the side panels 44, 44a and 45, 45a to bulge outwardly a small amount as is clearly shown in Figure 4 9, this being made possible by the cut lines 52 and 54. The respective projections 53 and 54 on the bottom and top panels 46, 46a and 47, 47a then serve to aline opposed edges of the containers 50.

Each of the containers 50 is preferably of a type which has-its top and bottom seamed thereon thus providing seams or chimes 57 which may project through the openings defined by the cut lines 52 and 54 when the respective panels 44, 44a and 45, 45a are in erected position as shown in Figures 3 to 9, inclusive. These cutout portions defined by the cut lines 52 and 54 also permit the side panels to bulge outwardly a small amount, as at 60 (Figures 3 and 9) adjacent each of the cans 50 when the carrier is erected.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be observed that following the placing of the cans 50 in the carton, the rear panels 44, 44a are then folded into right angular relation with the bottom panels 46, 46a and atop the cans 50 along the respective score lines 26, 26a, resulting in the inner or front faces of the handle portions 20 and 21 engaging the inner or rear faces of the handle portions 22 and 23. In Figure 3, the handle portions 20 and 21 are illustrated as being secured to the handle portions 22 and 23 by staples indicated at 61. These, incidentally, are the only points at which the panels are secured together, the manner in which the carrier is erected eliminating the necessity of gluing or otherwise securing any of the other panels in fixed relation to each other. With the handle portions thus secured to each other, a carrier in the form of an elongated substantially rectangular tube is formed.

Now, referring to Figure 5, there is shown in dotted lines a shipping case, carton, package or the like designated at 62 and which may have closure flaps 64 hingedly connected thereto which may be folded in overlapping relation to each other for closing the normally open end or side of the shipping carton 62. The 4case 62 being shown to illustrate one manner in which a plurality of carriers may be shipped.

ln order to provide a compact package to permit stacking and/or shipping of a plurality of the filled carriers formed of a plurality of the blanks 10 shown in Figure l, the handle portions 22 and 23 may be folded downwardly in Figure 3 against the outer surfaces of the respective top panels 47 and 47a as shown in Figure 4, the corresponding handle portions 20 and 21 being secured to the handle portions 22 and 23 so that all of the handle portions 20 to 23 will assume the position shown in Figure 4 in superposed relation to the top panels 47, 47a. Thus a plurality of the carriers in the condition shown in Figure 4, may be inserted in a package 62 after which the closure flaps 64 may be folded thereagainst to complete the1 package for shipping purposes. The completed package 62, in the condition described, may be placed in stores for display and sale along with other commodities.

Upon removing a carrier from the shipping case 62, it may be folded along the perforated score line 13, inasmuch as the cut line 14 extends along the proximate edges of the top panels'47, 47a, the front panels 45, 45a and the bottom panels 46 and 46a. A carrier partially folded along the perforated score line 13 is shown in Figure 6 illustrating a step in the final erection of the carrier. The cans 50 have been omitted from the carrier shown in Figure 6 for purposes of clarity.

Due to the fact that the cut line 14 (Figure l) terminates at the point 15, which is the juncture of the handle portions 29 and 29a with the top panels 47 and 47a, and the blank 1I) is merely scored at the juncture of the handle' portions 22 and 23, it is merely necessary for a person to swing the two sections 11 and 12 apart from eachA other, creasing them at the perforated score lines 13 and 14, to substantially the position shown in Figure 6 with the rear panels 44 and 44a in juxtaposed relation to each other. The handle portions 20, 22 and 21, 23 to swing upwardly away from the top panels 47 and 47a into sul stantially right-angular relation `to the top panels 47 and 47a when the rear panels 44 and 44a are folded back fto back substantially against each other as shown `in .Figures 7, 8 and 9 for carrying purposes.

It will be observed in Figure 3 that the iiaps 42 and 43 of the respective handle portions 22 and 23 are slightly smaller than the finger openings 33 and 34 in the respective handle portions 20 and 21 with the .result that, upon swinging the two carton sections 11 and 12 into the position shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the fiaps 42 and 43 may be folded within the openings 33 and 34 to substantially the position shown in Figure 7 -to thus provide an opening through which a persons fingers may extend for carrying the filled carrier.

It is evident that the carrier may be partially folded into substantially the position shown in Figure 6 for display purposes if desired, which would not only display the contents of the carton but would also display the advantages of a carrier formed by this method. ,y

If desired, the carton sections 11 and 12 may be separated along the perforate line 13 and the score line 24. Thus, for example, a customer desiring to buy only three cans of beer or the like need not buy six cans but can separate the carton sections 11 and 12 and purchase only three cans in a half carton having a handle portion for carrying.

It is thus seen that there is provided a method of forming a carrier which may be made from a single piece of material and which is so scored and cut as to be easily filled with cylindrically-shaped containers, such as beer cans and the like, and which may, further, be folded into an elongated compact unit in which the cylindricallyshaped containers are tightly locked and whereby a plurality of the carriers may be packed in stacked relation to each other to form a compact package for shipping purposes. A carrier of this type may be readily used with automatic machinery for folding the blank as it is filled with containers as shown in Figure 2 and passing the carrier through the sequence of operation illustrated in Figures l to 5, inclusive, for automatically packing a plurality of containers for shipping purposes in such a manner that the carriers would be easily accessible in the cases when packed as shown in Figure 5. The carriers could then be easily passed through the stage shown in Figure 6 to the stage shown in Figure 7 to greatly enhance the usefulness of the carrier and to present an attractive appearance from a sales standpoint.

It is also evident, that, if so desired, the stitching, in the form of staples 61, may be easily removed to enable the carton to again be laid out in the form shown in Figure 1 preparatory to again being filled with cylindrically-shaped containers thus facilitating its use over and over again.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. A method of packaging cylindrical objects in a carrier formed from a at blank having a bottom panel, a first side panel hingedly connected to a side edge of said bottom panel, a second side panel having one side edge hingedly connected to the opposite side edge of the bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to the other side edge of the second side panel and said blank being provided with spaced lines of cut along the junction of the second side panel with the respective top and bottom panels, said method comprising the steps of first folding the top and bottom panels into substantially perpendicular relation to the second side panel to form a channel-shaped receptacle having a width substantially equal to the height of the cylindrical objects, and said folding forming openings at said lines of cut spaced along the junction of the second side panel with the top and bottom panels, then moving a plurality of juxtaposed cylindrical objects in a continuous row with their side walls 'facing `down Sinto engagementwith the second side panel to 'cause the cylindrical objects to register with the spaced openings to prevent displacement of the cylindrical objects longitudinally of the channel-shaped receptacle, and guiding and rconfiningV the ends of the cylindrical objects during ktheir :movement into the channel-shaped vreceptacle by the top and bottom panels to prevent displacement of the cylindrical objects laterally of the channel-shaped receptacle 'and thereafter folding the first side 'panel over the cylindrical objects and into parallel relation to the second vside panel.

.2. A method of packaging a plurality of'chime type cans or the like in 'a carrier having a bottom panel, a first side panel hingedly connected to a side edge of said bottom panel, a second side panel having one si'de edge hingedly connected to the opposite side edge of said bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to the other side edge of said second side panel, 'and said carrier being provided with a plurality of evenly spaced and alined apertures along the juncture of at least one of the hingedly connected side edges of the second side panel, said method comprising the steps of first folding said top and bottom panels into substantially perpendicular relation to said second side panel to define a channel-shaped 'receptacle having a Width of substantially the same dimension as the height of the cans, then moving in a continuous row a plurality of juxtaposed cans with their side walls facing down into engagement with the second side panel while guiding and confining the ends of the cans by said top and bottom panels to cause the chimed ends of the cans to engage in the spaced apertures to maintain the cans Within the carrier, and then folding said first side panel over said cans into parallel relation to said second side panel.

3. A method of packaging a plurality of chime type cans or the like in a carrier having a bottom panel, a first side panel hingedly connected to a side edge of said bottom panel, a second side panel having one side edge hingedly connected to the opposite side edge of said bottoni panel, a top panel hingedly connected to the other side edge of said second side panel, said carrier being provided with a plurality of evenly spaced and alined apertures along the junctures of both hingedly connected side edges of the second side panel, and handle portions connected to said first side panel and to said top panel, said method comprising the steps of first folding said top and bottom panels into substantially perpendicular relation to said second side panel to define a channel-shaped receptacle having a width of substantially the same dimension as the height of the cans, then moving in a continuous row a plurality of juxtaposed cans with their side walls facing down into engagement with the second side panel while guiding and confining the ends of the cans by said top and bottom panels to cause the chimed ends of the cans to engage in the spaced apertures to maintain the cans within the carrier, then folding said first side panel over said cans into parallel relation to said second side panel and securing said handle portions together.

4. A method of packaging a plurality of chime type cans or the like in a carrier having a pair of juxtaposed separable bottom panels, a first pair of side panels hingedly connected to corresponding side edges of said bottom panels, a second pair of separable side panels hingedly connected to the opposite side edges of said bottom panels, a pair of separable top panels hingedly connected to the other side edges of said second side panels, said carrier being provided with `a plurality of evenly spaced and alined apertures along the juncture of at least one of the hingedly connected side edges of the second side panels, and handle portions connected to said first pair of side panels and to said pair of top panels, said method comprising the steps of rst folding said top and bottom panels into substantially perpendicular relation to said second side panels to define a channel-shaped receptacle having a width of substantially the same dimension as the height of the cans, then moving in a continuous row a plurality of juxtaposed cans with their side walls facing down into engagement with the `second side panels while guiding and confining the ends of the cans by said top and bottom panelsto cause the chimed ends of the cans to engage in the spaced apertures to maintain the cans within the carrier, then folding said first side panels over said cans into parallel relation to said second side panels,` then securing said handle portions together, and folding the first side panels and handle portions into back-to-back relationship while separating the top and bottom panels at their respective corresponding junctures.

5. A method of packaging a plurality of chime type cans or the like in a carrier having a bottom panel, a first side panel hingedly connected to a sidey edge of said bottom panel, a second side panel having one side edge hingedly connected to the opposite side edge of said bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to the other side edge of said second side panel, and said carrier being provided with a plurality of evenly spaced and alined apertures along the junctures of both the hingedfy connected side edges of the second side panel, said method comprising the steps of first folding said top and bottom panels into Substantially perpendicular relation to said 25 second side panel to define a channel-shaped receptacle having a width of substantially the same dimension as the heightof the cans and a depth of substantially the same dimension as the diameter of the cans, then moving in a continuous row a plurality of juxtaposed cans with their side walls facing down into engagement with the second side panel while guiding and confining the ends of the cans by said top and bottom panels to cause the chimed ends of the cans to engage in the spaced apertures to maintain the cans within the carrier, and then folding said first side panel over said cans into parallel relation to said second side panel,

References Cited in the flle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,525,015 Weeks Feb. 3, 1925 1,968,877 Cubberley Aug. 7, 1934 2,167,770 Mullenix et al. Aug. 1, 1939 2,304,683 Finn et al. Dec. 8, 1942 2,331,543 Emery Oct. 12, 1943 2,333,560 Gray Nov. 2, 1943 2,375,631 VDe Villard May 8, 1945 2,408,159 Boh Sept. 24, 1946 2,524,517 Cole Oct. 3, 1950 2,603,923 Chidsey July 22, 1952 

